Ropes & Gray LLP 401(k) Review & Grade
Ropes & Gray LLP Retirement Savings Plan
Boston, MAProfessional, Scientific & Technical Services2,681 active participantsPlan year 2024
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$7,187Employer $ per active participant
$15,225Employee $ saved per active participant
0.04%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$1.4BNet plan assets, end of year
$318,921Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity43.0 / 5086th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost20.6 / 2582th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving12.4 / 1583th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features3 / 10Default investment
- Red-flag deductions-3 pts1 issue reported on the filing
Total score76 / 100 · Grade A
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Professional, Scientific & Technical Services plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (231 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 86th |
| Lower admin cost | 82th |
| Employee saving | 83th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 47% |
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Red flags from the filing
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $2,852 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Ropes & Gray LLP put in about $7,187 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,951). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Fund expense ratios aren't in the filing. Look them up in your 404(a)(5) fee disclosure and favor low-cost index or target-date funds.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $19,268,309 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $40,819,025 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $13,082,931 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $552,283 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $392,132 |
| Benefits paid out | $107,642,637 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $1.2B / $1.4B |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 2,656 / 2,706 |
| Participants with account balances | 4,297 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Not reported |
| Auditor | Pricewaterhouse Coopers LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Advisory Group, LLC | $294,849 reported compensation |
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company O | $160,151 reported compensation |
| Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. | $99,560 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20251009102430NAL0011242560001, received 2025-10-09, EIN 04-2233412, plan #007, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.